Easy Buffalo Dip
Are you looking for an easy paleo and Whole30 party dip? This smooth and creamy Buffalo Dip is made with 5 dairy-free and vegan ingredients aimed to please everyone’s palate.
I believe buffalo sauce belongs with more than just wings, so I’ve developed quite a few buffalo-flavored recipes. This EASY buffalo dip recipe captures the essence of classic buffalo chicken dip with a handful of dairy-free and vegan ingredients. Vegans, paleo peeps, and Whole30ers agree; this buffalo dip is the best.
The secret to achieving a smooth and creamy buffalo dip without cream cheese is blending soaked cashews with tahini (sesame paste) and buffalo sauce -and that’s it! Serve this hot and tangy dip alongside tortilla chips or crackers -or use your favorite fresh veggies for the BEST low carb and Whole30 snack.
💗 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Only FIVE ingredients!
- No cooking is necessary. Simply soak, blend, and serve.
- Vegan, paleo, Whole30, low carb, AND keto-friendly!
- It’s easy to customize (yes, you can add chicken).
🌶️ Ingredients You’ll Need
- Raw Cashews: Classic buffalo dips are typically made with cream cheese. For this dairy-free variation, soaked cashews blend into a creamy cheese-like sauce.
- Tahini: Tahini is a seed butter made from sesame seeds. It helps thicken the buffalo dip and adds flavor.
- Buffalo Sauce: Use your favorite dairy-free buffalo sauce (more on this below).
- Garlic: At least one clove or a teaspoon of garlic powder to enhance the savory flavors.
- Salt & Pepper: You might not need much depending on which buffalo sauce you use, so give it a taste before adding salt and pepper.
🔀 Vegan Buffalo Sauce vs. Classic Buffalo Sauce
This wouldn’t be buffalo dip without buffalo sauce. Traditional buffalo sauce is made with a blend of cayenne-based hot sauce and butter, but it can also be made with non-dairy ingredients and be just as delicious.
Noble Made by The New Primal launched Whole30 approved buffalo sauces in mild, medium, and hot. They’re perfect for vegan and Whole30 buffalo dip.
Check out the list below for more vegan buffalo sauce options.
- Louisiana Original Wing Sauce
- Tessemae’s All Natural Buffalo Sauce
- Primal Kitchen Buffalo Sauce
- Tabasco Buffalo Style Hot Sauce
- Frank’s Redhot Original Buffalo
Ready to make the easiest buffalo dip from scratch? Let’s do it.
📖 How To Make Vegan Buffalo Dip
1️⃣ Soak cashews.
Place raw cashews in a bowl and fill the bowl with filtered or distilled water. Let soak until the nuts are soft (overnight is best). Then, drain the cashews and rinse well.
2️⃣ Blend ingredients.
Add soaked cashews, tahini, buffalo sauce, and garlic to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy—taste and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
🧑🍳 Recipe Tips
- Do not use roasted cashews – Your cashews must be raw.
- Soak the cashews until soft – The cashews are best soaked in hot water overnight, but if you’re short on time, soak them for at least 2 hours.
- Blend in a high-speed blender – If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you can use a food processor, but be sure to soak the raw cashews until they’re super soft.
- Serve hot or cold – This dip is fantastic served chilled with celery and carrot sticks. You can also serve it hot by heating it in an oven-safe dish for 15 to 20 minutes at 350F.
👉 Variations
Put your spin on this plant-based classic party dip.
Cashew substitutes – You can also make the cream sauce using half cashews and half raw almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, or brazil nuts. Soaked white beans (cannellini beans) are another option.
Turn up the heat – To make a spicier dip, add fiery spices like cayenne, chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, or red pepper flakes to taste.
Sprinkle with fresh herbs – Pour the dip into a serving dish and garnish with chopped cilantro, parsley, chives, or thinly sliced green onions.
Bake with plant-based cheese – Spread a layer of your favorite cheddar or parm alternative over the top and bake for 20 to 25 minutes (or until the “cheese” is hot and melted).
🍽️ Serving Buffalo Dip
Serve this cool and creamy dip with a variety of vessels. Check out the list below for ideas catering to all of your guests’ dietary needs.
Vegan – Serve with tortilla chips, crusty French bread, pita bread, pretzels, and crackers for the plant-based peeps.
Whole30/paleo – Load up on carrot & celery sticks, jicama sticks, bell pepper strips, grain-free tortillas (not W30), seaweed chips, and roasted kale chips.
Low carb/keto – Use pork rinds, dried beef slices (jerky), celery sticks, or dried cheese crisps for a super low carb snack.
🧊 Storing & Freezing
Storing: Once blended, pour the dip into a container with a tight-fitted lid and keep it in the fridge for 5 days.
Freezing: Unfortunately, this buffalo dip isn’t a good one to freeze.
❔FAQ
You sure can. After blending the ingredients into a dip consistency, add about a 1/2 cup of cooked and cooled shredded chicken. Pulse a few more times to incorporate the chicken.
The beauty of this dip is that it’s delicious served chilled or hot. To heat the dip, bake it in an oven-proof dish for 15 to 20 minutes at 350F until warmed through.
More Buffalo Recipes
Buffalo Sweet Potato Queso
Dairy-free Buffalo Alfredo Sauce
Crispy Buffalo Chickpeas
Buffalo Party Mix
EASY Buffalo Dip
Equipment
- 1 bowl
- 1 high-speed blender
Ingredients
- 8 ounces raw cashews
- ⅓ cup tahini
- ½ cup buffalo sauce
- 1 clove garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place raw cashews in a bowl of filtered or distilled water. Let soak until the nuts are soft (2 hours to overnight). Then, drain the cashews and rinse well.
- Add soaked cashews, tahini, buffalo sauce, and garlic to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days
